If you are a Barbera fan, then you should check out the Vietti 1998 Tre Vigne ($13.99 retail -- and a bargain), a great, albeit very different follow-up to the voluptuous 1997.

The 1998 is leaner and more focused than the 1997, sporting a pronounced black cherry/rasberry nose with some herbal undertones (anise, thyme?) and a hint of tar. On the palate, it's dry with medium-high (but balanced acidity), nice medium, soft tannins, medium alcohol and body and a fruit character similar to the nose (along with the tar and herbs). The finish is long, replete with a nice black cherry tang. Quality wine-making here, very drinkable now but certainly worthy of some age.

We paired it with a sun-dried tomato and kalamata olive risotto, garnished with fresh thyme. A match made in heaven!!

You're absolutely right about the wine you've mentioned. I too am in NYC and I've had a couple of bottles of the wine in question; I believe I picked them up at either Italian Wine Merchants or Garnet.

That being said, I'm becoming quite a Barbera fan myself. Another one worth trying is the 1995 (yes, '95) Bovio Regiaveja Barbera D'Alba. Union Square Wines has it for around $29. If you liked the Vietti, give it a whirl. You won't be disappointed. (But don't clean them out, as I have to get some more--this particular bottle is my wife's favorite wine!)

Italian Wine Merchants also has a later vintage of the Bovio Barbera D'Alba, '97 or '98, I think. However, these don't have the "Regiaveja" designation; I'm not sure what that means. In any event, they taste great too.